Device for hernia correction

ABSTRACT

Surgically implantable device for hernia correction comprising a plate having a pair of partially overlapping resilient hooks formed integrally therewith and defining an orifice through the plate. In use, the hooks are spread apart allowing the esophagus or inguinal canal to be placed in the orifice; the hooks close and retain the device in position to close the hernia.

llnited States Frankentlial 1 May 14, 1974 DEVICE FOR HERNIA CORRECTION [75] Inventor: Luigi Frankenthal, Sao Paulo, Brazil [73] Assignee: Dow Corning Corporation, Midland,

Mich.

[22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 285,270

[52] US. Cl. 128/95, 128/82 [51] Int. Cl. A6lf 13/00 [58] Field of Search 128/95, 96, 98, 82, l R,

128/334 R, DIG. 21; 3/1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1954 Pease, Jr 128/82 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Vitallium Surgical Appliances, a Pamphlet Issued in 1948 by Austental Laboratories, Inc., New Yor N.Y., p. l9.

Primary Examiner-Lucie H. Laudenslager Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Howard W. Hermann; Gordon Needleman 1 ABSTRACT Surgically implantable device for hernia correction comprising a plate having a pair of partially overlapping resilient hooks formed integrally therewith and defining an orifice through the plate. In use, the hooks are spread apart allowing the esophagus or inguinal canal to be placed in the orifice; the hooks close and retain the device in position to close the hernia.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application relates to the surgical correction of hernias and more particularly to surgical implants for such use.

Surgical operations for the correction of hernias comprise a rather large percentage of surgical procedures performed around the world at the present time. Various types of hernias which occur in various parts of the body involve slightly different procedures but in virtually all cases at the present time the classical correction involves the use of sutures to close the hernial orifice. The overall failure rate of this operation is relatively high because in many cases the muscular tissue surrounding the hernia] orifice and to which sutures are passed is rather weak; the weakness being the principal reason for the hernia having occurred in the first place The largest percentage of hernias are inguinalhernias; that is, a hernia occuring around the inguinal canal allowing the intestine to drop through the. opening. Another fairly common hernia is the hiatus hernia occuring around the point at which the esophagus passes through the diaphragm which in turn allows the stomachto protrude through the diaphragm causing great discomfort. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a simplified device for correction of inguinal and hiatus hernias. Further, it is an object of this invention to provide an internal obstruction of the hernia orifice without the classical surgical sutures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION or THE PRESENT INVENTION In accordance with the above and other objects there is provided by the present invention a device comprising a plate having a pair of partially overlapping resilient hooks formed integrally therewith and defining an orifice through the' plate. The plate has sufficient surface area to overlie the, hernial orifice and the surrounding muscular tissue, thus preventing protrusion of the stomach in the case of hiatus'hernia and the intestine in the case of inguinal hernia through the hernial orifice. In use the hooks are spread apart allowing the esophagus or inguinal canal to be placed in the orifice in the plate and the hooks by their inherent resilience then close and retain the device in position to block the hernial orifice.

The operation using the device of the present invention is substantially simpler than the classical operation using sutures and there is no danger of sutures pulling out of weak muscular tissue since the plate, in effect, takes the place of the muscular tissue in closing the hernial orifice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood and other objects and advantages of the invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one of the faces of the device made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken transversely of the device in FIG. 1 along the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is an edge view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. l and taken along the line 55 thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the figures thereof there is shown in the figures which illustrate a preferred embodiment for correction of hiatus hernia, a plate 11 which may be made, for example, of silicone rubber. A pair of hooks l2 and 13 are molded integrally with, the plate 11 and define an orifice l6 at'their centers. The hooks l2, l3 preferably form a single helix with the ends thereof overlapping and with both hooks in juxtaposition with one another. The hooks must be resilient and in the case where .the plate 11 is silicone rubber the hooks may be also of the same .silicone rubber molded integrally therewith. If desired a-reinforcing'spring 14 may be molded into the hooks to give added strength and resilience thereto. The configuration of the hooks may perhaps be seen more clearly from FIG. 4 in which the hooks l2 and 13 are shown in broken lines in positions 12a and 13a to show the opening thereof.

The edges of the plate 11 and the hooks l2 and 13 are all preferably rounded and the thickness of the plate 11 preferably is diminished gradually from its center portions to the edge portions thereof.

In use, for example in the correction of hiatus hernia, the chest is opened the hooks l2 and 13 are pulled apart andsnapped around the esophagus and then allowed to close by their natural resilience to their normal substantially flat positions. The plate 1 1 then overlies the hernial orifice with the esophagus threaded through the orifice 16 of the device. The plate thus serves as an internal obstruction to the hernial orifice and prevents protrusion of the stomach through the diaphragm. Similarly in the case of inguinal hernia the inguinal canal is placed in .the orifice 16 by spreading'the hooks l2 and 13 and the plate 11 lies against the abdominal wall preventing protrusion of the intestines into the hernial orifice.

' It is to be understood that the size of the device and the precise shape of the plate 11 will need to, bevaried somewhat depending upon the patient. It is also to be understood that variations and modifications of the embodiment described herein will become obvious to those skilled in the art from a reading of the foregoing. Therefore, it should be realized that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

That which is claimed is:

l. A surgically implantable device for hernia correction comprising a plate of polymeric material having a center and edge portions and having a pair of partially juxtaposedresilient hooks formed integrally therewith, said pair of hooks defining an orifice through the plate, spring means imbedded in said hooks for reinforcement thereof, whereby the hooks can be spread apart allowing free access to said orifice from the periphery of said plate thereby allowing placement of an elongated body member through said orifice; said hooks upon release f aid hooks defingg the are of at least 180 degrees, then encircling said body member for retention of said the thickness of the plate diminished graduallg "(61515 plate, the orifice originally having a diameter less than center to the edge portions thereof.

the diameter of the elongated body member and each 

1. A surgically implantable device for hernia correction comprising a plate of polymeric material having a center and edge portions and having a pair of partially juxtaposed resilient hooks formed integrally therewith, said pair of hooks defining an orifice through the plate, spring means imbedded in said hooks for reinforcement thereof, whereby the hooks can be spread apart allowing free access to said orifice from the periphery of said plate thereby allowing placement of an elongated body member through said orifice; said hooks upon release then encircling said body member for retention of said plate, the orifice originally having a diameter less than the diameter of the elongated body member and each of said hooks defining the arc of at least 180 degrees, the thickness of the plate diminished gradually from its center to the edge portions thereof. 